070157 SE BA-Seminar - Decent and powerful. Jewish Women in the late Middle Ages (2019W)

At the one hand, the business activities of Jewish women were highly esteemed, but at the other they were edged out of the public space of the synagogue. The seminary will deal with the basis and the living spaces of Jewish women in the late Middle Ages, i. e. in the 13th to 15th centuries. Geographically it will cover the cultural space “Ashkenaz”, the German speaking parts of the Roman Empire with Jewish population. Subjects will be the legal position of Jewish women, their economic activities, family life and family law, her social position in Jewish and Christian society, and her roles in the synagogue, orthopraxis and during persecutions.
The methods of Historical Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and concepts of space will serve to compare the relevant categories – Gender, Religon, social class a. o. – with the Christian society. The seminary consists of an historical introduction, guided reading, discussion, and contextualisation of historical sources (German sources in edition or transcription, Hebrew sources in German translation). Illuminations of medieval Hebrew manuscripts, pictures of grave stones and material objects will complete the source material.
Objectives:
Knowledge of Jewish history in medieval Austria; knowledge of the methods of Cultural and Gender studies; analysis of the different types of sources (privileges, business documents, rabbinical responsa, pictures); insight into the position of Jewish women in the Middle Ages by comparing their living spaces with the Christian sphere; active discussion, good presentation of an oral paper, written paper based on good scientific practice.